


Warrior

by CreativeDreamerL



Series: Warrior [1]
Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Darkness, F/M, Heroes, Love, Teen Angst, Villains
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:46:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28634958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreativeDreamerL/pseuds/CreativeDreamerL
Summary: Ellie DuPree has been through more than she'd like to admit. From werewolves and vampires to creepy guys who just can't stop, she's been through it all. After the death of her best friend, she finds herself drawn to the small town of Forks, Washington. She just wants her life to be normal for once. Unfortunately, life has never been so kind to her.
Relationships: Alice Cullen & Original Female Character, Bella Swan & Original Female Character, Jasper Hale/Ellie DuPree, Jasper Hale/OC, Jasper Hale/OFC, Jasper Hale/Original Female Character, Mike Newton & Original Female Character, Original Character & Original Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Series: Warrior [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2098458
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23
Collections: R's Twilight





	1. Epigraph

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any reference to recognizable works.

"Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself."

Walter Anderson


	2. Chapter 1

A groan escaped her lips as she saw the looming set of buildings in front of her. Eleanor wasn't bothered by the thought of school. She was truly only bothered that this was her third high school in a year and a half, her second within six months, and she could already feel that this one might not be much different.

However, she couldn't hold off going back any longer. She had to at least finish high school. So she forced herself to ignore the staring eyes coming from every direction and made her way into the main building.

Following the signs, she eventually found her way to the tiny office. The smell of wilting flowers wrinkled her nose and caused her eyes to dart across the room. She relaxed when she noticed a vase of down-turned pink carnations in the corner. At least it wasn't something worse. 

Eleanor shuffled her weight from one foot to the other as she tried to wait patiently for her turn to speak with the office attendant. It was only after light small talk between the woman and a brunette had passed that the woman finally gave the brunette a pink form and motioned for the blonde to step forward.

As Eleanor stepped forward, the brunette caught her gaze and offered her a small smile before walking out of the office and into the hallway leaving her with the office attendant. Must be another new student, she mused. 

"You must be Eleanor," she smiled.

Either she really loved her job or that talk with the brunette must have made her day.

Eleanor forced a smile onto her face before she replied, "Yes, Ma'am."

"Welcome to Forks High School! I'm Ms. Cope. Here's your schedule, and if you would just have your teachers sign this form and bring it back to the office at the end of the day, we'll be all set for your first semester at FHS," the woman prattled on while handing her a schedule, a map, and a pink form similar to the one she had just handed the brunette.

"Thank you," Eleanor said, promptly turning and forcing her way into the hallway, making sure not to bump into anyone. She didn't need any extra trouble today.

Unfortunately, fate was not on her side, as a jacket clad arm was thrown casually over her shoulder.

_A blonde boy, around the age of six, flashed the gap in his teeth to his mother and father who smiled and waved at him from across the park._

_The same boy, now around the age of thirteen, reached out to spin the bottle placed on the floor and watched it land on the short girl with dark brown hair three spaces from him. His jaw dropped open momentarily before he quickly regained his composure and walked with her to the closet._

What an ordinary life. How... fortunate for him.

Eleanor was almost jealous of the normalcy his life contained. She only wished that she had such a simple life. Instead, she received a life full of misery and abandonment, and she found herself on the run far more than she had ever expected to be. How she wished she could be normal like the other kids in the school, but unfortunately life had never been so kind to her.

"You must be Eleanor DuPree," he grinned, his teeth nearly glinting in perfection. "Name's Mike Newton."

She eyed him, speculating his motives, before flashing a grin of her own. "I would introduce myself, but you've already done that for me. It's nice to meet you, Mike."

"Trust me. The pleasure's all mine, Eleanor," Mike said, maneuvering the blonde through the hall.

"Ellie," she corrected, watching his face light up.

"Alright, Ellie," he smiled, his pale blue eyes twinkling. "What's your first class?"

Ellie looked at the schedule in her hand and replied, "AP English."

"This way, then," Mike led her to a classroom in a small building close to the one they'd just passed through. He smiled at her as they stopped at the door. "Your first stop."

"Thank you, Mike," she said. This guy was too kind, much like her dear Allison. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem, Ellie. Save you a seat at lunch?" he questioned hopefully.

"I'd like that," she grinned as he nodded and turned to go to his own class.

Entering into her classroom, she pondered the consequences of the friendship she may have just forged. Her intentions with coming to Forks had been to lay low and interact with no one. There were less chances for casualties if she didn't let herself get close to anyone. Losing two friends had been enough, but she couldn't really expect herself to be alone forever could she? It would be the right thing to do, but it would also strip her from the humanity she loved.

What a terrible dilemma. 

Ellie was bored out of her mind. She had already learned most of the material that had been discussed in her classes, whether it had been from her own reading or from one of her last schools.

That reminded her. She needed to find a good book shop.

Her first three classes had brought her memories of the time she watched a snail attempt to make a journey through her previous guardian's lawn. She found herself daydreaming and planning ways to avoid making anymore friends. Finding the brunette from the office in her first two classes didn't help matters. The girl was new as well causing a great deal of conflict in Ellie's mind as she found them on common ground.

Ellie believed that things happen for a reason. So she insisted that if she were meant to befriend the brunette, then it would happen one way or another.

Finding the brunette in her third class was no surprise to the blonde. What was a tiny bit of a surprise was being forced to introduce herself to the class.

'Mr. Varner, you're a cruel man,' she thought.

On the bright side, she found out that the brunette was a very awkward individual which could potentially make for a promising friendship.

If only it weren't dangerous for her to get attached to people.

She assumed her fourth period would be as boring as the rest of her day. At least she did until a bronze haired boy walked into the gymnasium. He was one of the most gorgeous beings she had ever seen. Strangely enough, she saw the corners of his lips lift ever so slightly at that thought.

He reminded her of someone she wished she could forget.

A frown fell upon her lips. He wasn't meant to be thought of here. Every reminder of him was to be left in Brook Hills. She took extra precautions to make sure he would never make it to Forks. Unfortunately, she could never forget his haunting, red eyes.

This boy, fortunately, didn't possess those evil, red eyes. His, instead, were a nice shade of topaz. Still inhuman, however.

He was likely one of them.

Her frown grew.

If he was a vampire, then things were bound to get even more complicated than they already were. She was going to have to watch herself more carefully.

When the period ended, Ellie rushed to exit the gym. Unfortunately, in rushing out, she managed to bump into the bronze haired boy, who it seemed had also wanted to quickly get out of the room.

_A small bronze haired boy laughed gleefully with his mother and father as the trio sat around a small piano._

_The same boy lie sickly in a bed, his mother, on her death bed, pleading with a handsome blond man to save him any way possible. The man biting him shortly after the woman passed._

_A group of seven gathered in a glass house, all as beautiful as the bronze haired boy, smiling happily among each other._

It was as she suspected. There was no other explanation. The boy was a vampire. If the cold skin she had felt when they accidentally bumped hadn't clued her in, then the visions surely did.

She risked a glance at the bronze haired boy to find him staring wide eyed at her. His thoughts racing almost too fast for her to catch them. He knew exactly what she had just uncovered. She shouldn't be surprised that he somehow did know. She had her own gifts. What would an additional mind reader cost her?

It didn't matter though. It wasn't her mess to get involved with. She lifted her eyebrows at his wide-eyed expression and muttered, "Don't worry so much," before briskly walking to the cafeteria, not bothering to spare a second glance at him.

Upon entering the cafeteria, she spotted Mike Newton waving her down at a table full of people. She offered the enthusiastic boy a small smile before gliding to the table where he and his assumed friends were sitting. She ended up taking the open seat next to the brunette girl she had seen in most of her classes. Mike grinned at her as he spoke to his friends, "Have you guys met my girl, Ellie, yet?"

Ellie rose her brow, "Your girl?"

Mike lit up red from his neck to his ears and sputtered out an apology.

Ellie let out a giggle before smiling widely at the boy, "I'm only joking, Mike. Calm down."

The rest of the table laughed before introducing themselves. The brunette beside her waiting until last.

"I'm Bella Swan," she offered a shy smile.

"Ellie DuPree," she grinned. It seemed fate did, indeed, want them to be friends. "I think we have a few classes together."

The girl nodded, her attention quickly being caught by the group of five walking in through the cafeteria doors. Honestly, it was hard not to stare. They were all so beautiful.

But Ellie knew the truth.

Besides catching a glimpse of it herself, she'd only ever seen one person like them.

_Him._

A shudder rippled up her spine at the thought of the vile man.

'No. Don't think of him,' she told herself.

Ellie forced herself to keep watching the group walk to their seats, the shortest one catching her eye and throwing a wide grin to the blonde who returned a small smile of her own to the pixie like girl.

To her side, she could hear Bella asking who they were. Personally, Ellie didn't care about names. She'd eventually figure out who they were. She opted to continue observing them.

She locked eyes with the bronze haired boy from her gym class and frowned as she noticed his eyes were narrowed at her. She lifted an eyebrow and offered a frown of her own. He may be a vampire, but she wasn't going to back down. She hasn't backed down yet.

She continued to observe the boy and noticed his eyebrows furrow in confusion as the thought crossed her mind. Ellie allowed a smirk to grace her lips as she allowed a new thought to cross her mind.

Of course I'm not afraid. You're not the first of your kind I've met.

His eyes widened before he neutralized his expression.

Don't worry though. Your secrets are safe as long as mine are.

She caught a hesitant, small nod before she turned her gaze to the others at the table. They were all watching her, suspicion written in their golden eyes, and although she most definitely didn't trust them, she offered them a small genuine smile. She noticed Edward's stare had made its way to Bella who could be seen gazing back at him just as intensely. A beautiful blonde woman was sitting close to a big, burly man with curly, black hair. Then there was the pixie like girl who had smiled earlier seated next to a boy with honey blond curls. She didn't have a problem with them staring at her. Her only problem would be if they decided she was the perfect meal.

Unfortunately for Ellie, as soon as she locked eyes with the blond man, she knew exactly what was happening. She felt their heart strings attach and watched as they intertwined in a swirl of gold and white binding their fates, and while the pull she felt towards him was the most wonderful feeling she had ever experienced, she found that her face now featured a scowl.

No way was this happening. Not today. Not any day. Not after him.

Noticing the ends of her hair beginning to lift, she found herself abruptly standing from the table, aware of the eyes on her. She rushed to dispose of her tray before stomping out of the cafeteria. She had to get out before she did something she'd regret.

Looking around, she noticed she'd made her way to the segue between the arts building and the language arts building. Her fingers clenched into fists and short, shallow breathes elicited from her lips. She had to get her emotions under control.

Compartmentalize.

Anchor yourself.

Breathe.

After Ellie stilled herself, she felt a small hand touch her back.

_A young girl stares blankly ahead of her, seeing things she couldn't explain. She immediately runs to her mother to tell her of what happened._

_The same dark haired girl is strapped down while her long hair is forcefully chopped from her head._

_A doctor bites the young girl who screams in agony._

_She sits waiting in a booth in a small diner where she sees a man with honey blond curls. Walking up to him, she tells him he kept her waiting for a very long time. His southern drawl issuing an apology._

Blinking rapidly, she turned to the girl with the dark pixie cut, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Are you alright?" the pixie asked, her eyes holding concern.

Ellie sighed, feeling overwhelmed, "I'm fine."

The girl nodded before throwing her arms around Eleanor in a hug, "My name's Alice Cullen. We're going to be great friends."

Ellie was a bit taken aback by the vampire hugging her. She had not had a vampire be gentle with her since she'd lived in Canada. "Ellie DuPree."

"It's okay, Ellie. You can trust us," Alice smiled, pulling back from the hug.

A frown graced her lips, "It's not that simple."

"Of course it is," she tinkled, her bell like voice light. "You just have to let go."

Ellie pursed her lips and whispered, "I can't."

"But you will," Alice smiled before turning to leave. "I'll see you in biology."

While music was generally her favorite class, feeling the vibrations of her cello underneath her fingers, the notes cascading in a series of melodic peaks and falls, upon walking into her final class of the day, she found that Biology II would probably be the most interesting class she would take. After she had handed Mr. Banner her pink form, she noticed two familiar pairs of golden eyes staring at her. She expected Alice, but the boy next to her she did not expect.

His golden eyes, which nearly matched his honey curls, were glued to her as she listened to Mr. Banner tell her where to sit.

"Hope you don't mind working by yourself. We have an odd number now," Mr. Banner said, gesturing to the empty table behind the golden eyed duo.

"I don't mind at all," the blonde replied and made her way to the empty table.

Settling herself in, she noticed that Alice was smiling widely at her while Mr. Tall, Pale, and Beautiful was watching her quietly, his eyes wide and mesmerizing.

"Hello, Ellie!" Alice grinned at the blonde.

"Hello, Alice," Ellie replied while taking out a pencil, carefully avoiding eye contact with the boy seated in front of her.

"Have you met my best friend, Jasper Hale?" Alice questioned her.

Eleanor lifted her eyes to the pixie like vampire before turning them to the aforementioned boy who was smiling ever so slightly at her, "I can't say I have. It's nice to meet you, Jasper. I'm Eleanor DuPree, but you can call me Ellie."

His smile grew minutely before he offered her a hand, "It's my pleasure, Ma'am."

Ellie eyed his hand warily before hesitantly reaching her own out toward the male and shaking his cold hand.

_A young boy, no older than sixteen, was registering for the current war, writing a false age on his paperwork._

_The same young man, now a few years older, stands next to his horse in front of three beautiful women. The obvious leader speaks in hope of his survival before plunging her teeth into his neck, eliciting a throaty scream from the man._

_He walks in front of a group of red-eyed vampires, training them, feeling every emotion running through their veins, before telling the woman who bit him they were ready for battle._

_The man runs through the forest, his eyes set on his prey, before tackling a mountain lion and plunging his teeth into it. His eyes reflecting a pure gold in contrast to their previous red._

Ellie frowned before removing her hand, not failing to notice the two vampires watching her in wonder.

Alice smiled lightly at the girl before questioning, "What did you see, Ellie?"

Ellie's eyes widened drastically, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Alice reached her hand out to the girl in a comforting manner, "It's okay, Ellie. You can trust us."

Ellie felt anxiety weighing heavily on her chest before whispering, "Please- please, don't tell anyone."

"We'd never dream of it," a deep, velvety voice replied. Jasper.

Ellie felt a wave of calm fall over her body. She sighed and smiled lightly at the duo, muttering a small, "Thank you."

"Really though," Alice pushed. "What did you see?"

Ellie glanced to the front of the classroom before returning her gaze to the two vampires in front of her, "Later. I still have to pass high school."

By the time class had finished, Ellie had found herself being dragged out of the classroom by the golden-eyed duo at a faster pace than she would have preferred. They bypassed the lockers and pulled her straight to a red Jeep in the parking lot where they were met by the rest of, what Ellie assumed to be, their coven.

A sigh escaped her lips as she thought of all of the possibilities that could happen.

Glancing at their faces, Ellie was met by a glare from the gorgeous blonde, an amused smirk from the burly man, a look of disbelief from the bronze haired boy, and the soft smiles of Alice and Jasper.

"Why is she here?" the blonde ground out. Her distaste for the blonde girl was clear.

"Because Ellie promised to talk to us, Rosalie," Alice grinned, not batting an eye at her sister's brashness.

Ellie glanced at the blonde, Rosalie, before replying, "It's really not on the top of my to do list if you'd like me to go. I'm totally cool with not doing this. It looks like bronze locks wants to leave anyway. So... Bye!"

Ellie attempted to turn and bolt for it, only to be stopped by the tiny, pixie like vampire.

"You said you'd talk to us!" she spewed.

"I said later," Ellie started hesitantly. "Later can be anywhere from today to three-hundred years from now. Right now, I'm feeling the latter."

Alice pouted angrily at her.

"Fine," Ellie huffed before rolling her eyes. "But if we're going to do this, I'd rather not do it on school grounds. There are too many witnesses."


	3. Chapter 2

The clearing in the forest behind the school was not the place Ellie had in mind when she suggested they go elsewhere, but it had its perks. It was quiet, and there were no unsuspecting eyes to witness the scene if something were to go wrong, which was possible because these were vampires she was dealing with, but she could easily get away if she wanted.

The mind reader rolled his eyes at the girl, "We're not going to eat you, so you can stop thinking of ways to escape."

"Not that she could," the burly one barked out a laugh.

"I can do more than you realize, Bear Man," she challenged, her eyes narrowed on him.

His laughter only grew, "I like this one! She's feisty."

Rosalie continued to glare at the girl before spouting the first question in her thoughts, "What are you?"

Ellie looked at the vampire in confusion before replying, "Human?"

"It's not possible," Bronze hair stated. "You have no scent and recognized us immediately."

"I'm not stupid, Bronze," she scoffed. "You're not exactly my first vampires. I do what I have to do to stay hi—protect myself."

"And you've managed to somehow erase your scent?" he shot back, suspicion in his voice.

"Something like that," she said, fiddling with ring on her left hand.

"Hidden from what?" Jasper questioned, causing Ellie to flinch in response.

She'd been hoping that they hadn't caught that. Unfortunately with the question, came thoughts of the monstrosity that she was, indeed, hiding from. His black hair and violent, red eyes that gleamed in the moonlight were haunting in ways she couldn't describe. His blood lust was even worse. He was not someone these people wanted to mess with. He was pure evil.

"Who is he?" Bronze questioned, noticing the frown growing on her lips.

Ellie clenched her eyes closed for a moment before replying, "Someone terrible."

"What'd he do?" Jasper grit out, anger prominent in his golden eyes.

"Terrible things," she replied, willing the tears building up in her eyes to stay put.

"Like what?" Bear Man asked, ready for a challenge.

A single tear slipped down her cheek before she whispered, "Do I really have to talk about this?"

Rosalie's glare softened minutely before she huffed and uttered, "Talking about it generally helps."

Ellie didn't like the fact that they were pushing her boundaries, but she had to admit they were right to an extent. If she was going to stick around this town, they needed to be prepared for what he was capable of. Because if he's given even the slightest of opportunities to destroy them, he will take it. He wouldn't care who they were. So bracing herself, she did what she believed to be best.

"He killed my best friend... And my sister's boyfriend, and it's all my fault," Ellie murmured, tears falling every so often.

Alice placed a cold hand on her leather clad shoulder, "You didn't do that, Ellie. It wasn't your fault."

"He wanted me. It's as good as my fault," she objected, pain gripping tightly to her. "If I hadn't denied him what he wanted, they wouldn't have died."

"It's his fault, Ellie. Not yours," Jasper said, watching her with saddened eyes as she moved away from Alice's touch .

Alice, deciding that it was time for a different subject, asked, "So what did you see in class?"

Ellie roughly wiped her eyes, thankful for the subject change, but she hesitated before replying, "Jasper. I saw Jasper."

"What about me?" the man questioned.

"Just glimpses of who you were. You signing up for the Confederacy, getting bitten... A few various things," she stated, watching him carefully.

Jasper furrowed his brows. She saw his past and not his future? How strange.

"Why aren't you afraid of us?" Bronze asked her. It didn't make sense. Any reasonable human would be afraid of them. Something was off with her claims.

"Because I can take care of myself," she replied, confident in her answer.

"How?"

"I don't intend to give you all of the details of that," she expressed, eyes narrowing. They didn't trust her, and she most definitely didn't trust them. "I don't exactly trust you."

"But you will," Alice grinned, pulling the girl into a hug.

"We'll see about that," she said, fighting the small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She didn't trust them, but she knew they would eventually pull her into their lives. It happened in every town she entered. The supernatural were drawn to her. It was just part of who she was.

"What are we going to do with her?" Rosalie asked, eyes still narrowed at the blonde. "She knows about us. We can't just let her go freely."

Jasper stepped in front of Ellie, a low growl rumbling in his chest, causing Rosalie to snarl in return. He knew this girl was important to him. He could sense it. She was the only human he had found that he didn't want to drain of life. That had to mean something.

"Ellie won't tell anyone, Rose. I've seen it," Alice said, effectively ending the potentially deadly fight. "Besides, you wouldn't just strip Jasper of his mate would you?"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Trust me, it's going to take a lot more than a few vampires to take me down. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon... And mate? Really? I literally just met you. Give me a small break."

Jasper's eyes showed hurt, while Alice's showed confusion, "I saw it. You're his mate. We've been waiting a very long time for you."

Ellie sighed, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose, "Look, it's not like I'm denying it. I'm actually very aware of it. I just have issues, a lot of them... So, I'm going to need some time. I've not exactly had the best experience in this department."

"You can have all the time you need. I have plenty to spare," Jasper stated, eyes gazing hard at the blonde.

"Thank you," she whispered softly. She knew he would wait. The question was: would he wait as long as she would need?

He offered her a gentle smile. She'd come around. He just knew it.

"Okay, not to disrupt the love fest, but we may have a bigger issue at hand," Rosalie started. She was sickened. Her brothers knew better than to involve themselves with humans. It was reckless and could endanger them all, especially since this one knew the truth.

"Yeah, like Edward not killing the new girl," Bear Man smirked.

"Oh hush, Emmett. He's not going to kill her. I've already seen it works out," Alice scolded the burly man.

"We should move this conversation to our home. Carlisle and Esme should be part of it," Edward said, not wanting to involve Ellie in this situation. "I'm sure Eleanor would like to leave as well."

"Honestly, I have nothing to do so... It's not a bother to me," Ellie said, but upon seeing Edward's frown deepen, she countered, "Fortunately, I can tell when I'm not wanted. So I'll see you lot later."

She turned to leave the clearing, but paused before doing so, "You're not going to hurt her, Edward, but if leaving is what you must do, realize that I will protect her until you return. No harm will come to Bella Swan."

Ellie promptly left after saying what she needed to say, leaving the Cullens with many unanswered questions.


	4. Chapter 3

Stepping out of her silver Porsche the next morning, Ellie waited for the beat up red truck to pull into the parking lot. She may not have told the vampires everything about herself, but she meant it when she said Bella Swan would be under her protection. Luckily for her, the brunette in question decided to show up early.

She watched as the brunette stood firmly by her truck watching the cars pulling into the lot before she traipsed over to her.

"Hello, Bella," Ellie grinned, leaning onto the truck next to Bella. "You looking for someone?"

"Um... Yes?" The girl awkwardly replied.

"Wouldn't happen to be Mr. Tall, Pale, and Brooding, would it?" the blonde teased.

"N-No," Bella said just a little too quickly, causing Ellie to lift a brow and laugh.

"It's okay, Bells. I won't judge. Tease you a little? Yes, but judge you for being interested? Never," Ellie paused for a moment, as if testing the truth to her words, before continuing. "I don't think he's a bad guy."

Bella gave a small smile before bumping shoulders with the blonde, "Thanks, El."

_A small girl hears the screaming of her parents from her upstairs bedroom. Her mother sounding unhappy._

_The same girl, now older, chooses not to go to her father's house, insisting that he come spend time with her at her mother's home instead._

_She frowns on the car ride to her father's house, despising the idea of constant rain and cloud coverage, believing she'll continue to be the awkward, loner girl she's always been._

Ellie blinked rapidly before smiling, "Anytime, Bella. You know, I think this could be the start of a very good friendship."

"Me, too," Bella grinned before noticing the gigantic, red Jeep pulling into the parking lot.

The duo watched as the mix matched family of vampires, climbed gracefully out of the car. Ellie letting a short giggle lose when Alice caught her eye and waved excitedly to the blonde. Ellie sent a small wave back before catching Jasper's careful eyes on her and sending him a tiny smile. The boy offering a gentle smile of his own in return.

Ellie turned back to Bella, seeing a mixture of emotions across her features. Disappointment because Edward didn't step out of the car, and confusion because Ellie seemed to know two of the remaining Cullens.

"He didn't come," the brunette frowned, hurt clearly written in her eyes. "I wanted to talk to him about yesterday, and he didn't come."

Ellie frowned, but decided offering encouragement would be better than throwing Edward to the wolves for hurting her new friend, "Maybe he's just sick, Bells. I wouldn't worry too much. He'll be back, I'm sure."

"Are you friends with the Cullens or something?" Bella asked.

"Or something," the blonde said, allowing her thoughts to drift to her complex relationship with the vampires. With one intent on beginning a friendship with her and another being tied to her heart, she wasn't sure of her standings on the group. She had wanted to avoid the supernatural at all costs when she decided to move to Forks, but it seemed as if the universe had another plan in mind, especially if it had tethered her to a vampire for life. Shaking her head to rid herself of her thoughts, she forced a smile and said,"Now, let's get to class before we're late."

"Okay," the brunette huffed before the blonde linked their arms and began pulling her into the school.

Classes were boring as usual for Ellie, but she made due passing notes to Bella and Mike during their shared periods. She didn't see Edward in her gym class, but to her surprise, she did notice that Alice was in gym with her. She had no idea how she'd missed that yesterday.

It was probably because she'd just discovered there were vampires in her new school.

"Ellie!" Alice grinned when she saw her. "Will you be joining us for lunch today?"

Ellie blanched at the question, "Your kind of lunch or my kind of lunch?"

"Yours, Silly," Alice laughed. "You couldn't exactly go to a meal with us."

Ellie chuckled lightly, "I suppose you're right."

"I'm sure Jasper would love to see you," she sang, her eyes holding mischief. Of course the vampire would know about his desires to see her. Ellie just hoped the seer didn't know too much.

"We'll see," Ellie smiled. "I kind of have to keep up appearances with Bella and Mike. Bella will let her mind wander too far if I don't keep it off track, and Mike, well, he's just Mike. I don't need to be a spirit crusher. He's too happy for that."

"You're not interested in Mike are you?" Alice questioned with an almost concerned look on her face.

Ellie raised her eyebrows and laughed, "Definitely not. We're just friends."

Alice smiled slightly before laughing with the girl, "Just checking. I don't want to see my best friend end up hurt."

Ellie nodded in understanding, "I don't plan to willingly hurt Jasper, Alice. Not unless he gives me a good reason."

"I know. It's just nice to hear you say it," Alice said before actually doing what Coach Clapp was insisting they do.

Instead of sitting with the Cullens like Alice had asked, Ellie found herself seated beside Mike and across from Bella during their lunch period. She tried to keep Bella distracted, but the brunette continued to watch for the bronze haired vampire. Ellie frowned. She didn't like seeing her new friend so completely enamored by someone she hardly even knew, let alone someone who was rude to her when they did interact.

Mike eventually nudged the girl, "What's wrong, Els? "

Turning her eyes to the blue eyed boy beside of her, she smiled and said, "Not a thing, Mikey."

"Your frown says otherwise," he countered. For such a short time frame of knowing her, he knew her too well.

"Just thinking really. It's nothing to worry about," she replied, bumping shoulders with him.

He grinned at her, "You know Hale's not stopped watching you since you walked in the cafeteria doors."

Ellie chanced a glance over her shoulder. Of course the tall blond did have his eyes locked on her. She offered him a smile before turning back to Mike, "It seems you may be right, dear Mike. Whatever shall we do about it?"

"Depends. You want to scare him away or draw him in?" Mike waggled his eyebrows.

Ellie looked back over her shoulder to see the vampire in question, one of his eyebrows raised as if he was waiting for her answer, as well. "I haven't decided yet."

Mike laughed, "Well, I'll let you figure that one out. In the mean time, do you want to do me a favor?"

"What do you need?" she questioned, curious as to what the pale blonde could possibly have in mind.

Mike looked around before leaning close to her, his lips practically on her ear, whispering, "I kind of really want to ask Bella to prom, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Think you can help me?"

Ellie grinned at the boy before she said, "I mean, what else are friends for?"

He glared playfully at the girl, "I think you mean best friends."

She hesitated slightly, thinking of her past best friend. She would want her to make new friends, right? Allison wouldn't hate her for letting herself be happy, would she? "Best friends?"

"That's how I think of you," he started, confused at the almost sad expression on face. "But -"

"Best friends," she grinned. Allison would want her to keep pushing forward. Ellie truly believed that. She'd want her to live.

His face lit up, "So if you're my best friend, does that mean yes to helping me?"

Ellie scoffed mockingly at Mike, "'Does that mean yes?' Of course it means yes."

Mike scooped her up in his arms, nearly making both of them land in the floor, causing half of the cafeteria to stop and watch them, "You are the absolute best, Ellie!"

"Calm down, Tiger," she laughed, patting his back. "People are staring."

"No way. I'm just going to take this celebration outside," he laughed, flipping her over his shoulder and taking her out of the cafeteria, eliciting various whines from her mouth and wide eyed stares from their peers.

"Edward's not going to like it," Alice said as soon as Ellie took a seat in biology.

"Oh I'm sure he'll like it about as much as I liked being Mike's personal Raggedy Ann," Ellie replied. "Or he may approve. He seems like the type to push someone away until he can't anymore."

"Do you not approve of him pushing her away?" Jasper asked, keeping his eyes locked with hers.

"I'm not really one who can answer that. I do the same more than I care to admit," she answered honestly. "I'm sorry you're having to wait."

"Mike Newton isn't having to wait," he quipped, not particularly happy with her new friend.

"I'm not going to reply to that. I don't care how much you think you know about me, you don't know everything I've been through. Patience is rewarding for those who choose to endure," she snapped, shifting her eyes from the blonde and choosing to focus on the class instead.

She was probably a little harsh, but he had no idea of the mess she would cause for him if he became romantically involved with her. She was saving him trouble by keeping him away in addition to keeping her own heart safe. She was already taking too many chances with making friends at all, let alone someone who was more than a friend. She'd only break all of them in the end. She wasn't worth the trouble.

When the bell rang, she found herself rushing to the door only to be stopped by a cold hand on shoulder.

"You are worth it," his velvety bass sounded, "and I'm willing to wait. Just - let me at least be a friend until you're ready."

Ellie had to admit he looked sincere. A sigh slipped her lips before she begrudgingly consented, "Alright. Friends."

"Until you're ready," he addressed.

"Until I'm ready," she agreed.

"I look forward to that day," he said wistfully, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Ellie shook her head and lightly laughed. This boy was going to be the end of her.


	5. Chapter 4

Ellie paced around her room debating on whether calling Mike was a good idea or not. If she called, she could ensure he would at least be capable of running if her past caught up to her again. If she didn't call, she could potentially keep him out of her monstrous life. However, knowing that she couldn't keep him completely out of her life because for some reason he had decided she was his best friend, she picked up her phone and dialed his number. It was better for him to be prepared if something went wrong than for him to be vamp bait.

The dial tone rang for a couple of seconds before he answered, his tone excited, "Ellie DuPree, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I can't call you without a motive?" she questioned, knowing he had caught her.

"Well, you can," he started, sensing the blonde had other thoughts on her mind besides conversing. "Unfortunately, I have this feeling that you didn't call just to talk though. So, what is it?"

"Alright, you caught me. So, I was wondering if you were doing anything, say around, five tomorrow morning?" Ellie questioned into the phone receiver, not bothering to hide her motives any longer.

"Five? Tomorrow morning?" Mike replied, wondering what exactly in the world the strange blonde could possibly want from him at five in the morning. "I'm generally sleeping at that time."

"Do you want to do something besides sleep at that time?" she tried to coax him.

"Like prank Tyler something or what?" he suggested. "Because I haven't heard a good enough reason to get out of my bed at that time since, I don't know, ever?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of joining me for a nice jog," she explained, getting to the point. "I don't really want to go jogging alone because of all the killings I've read about in the papers recently."

"You want me to get out of my bed... and go jogging... at five in the morning? Five a.m.? Is that what I'm hearing?" he frowned. This call was not sounding like a good time.

"Wow. Your hearing is impeccable. You deserve a reward," she deadpanned. Looks like she might be going for that jog by herself.

"Oh, ha, ha. Very funny, Els," he said, rolling his eyes before acquiescing. "Why not? But you will definitely owe me."

Ellie cheered in triumph,"Breakfast afterwards? My treat?"

"That'll do. My choice though!" he accepted.

"Perfect! I'll see you then," she exclaimed hanging up the phone.

Mike flopped back onto his bed, sighing heavily. This girl was going to be the end of him.

Ellie's breaths were steady in the cold air as she pumped her legs forward. She heard Mike huffing behind her as he tried to keep up. The duo was currently on their third mile, and Ellie knew it was going to be best to stop soon or the blond behind her wouldn't make it through the rest of the day.

Turning to the boy behind her, she said, "We should probably head back. You know, to get cleaned up and buy you some breakfast."

The boy stopped in his tracks, hands on his knees attempting to take air into his lungs. He threw a thumbs up to show he was good with the plan before Ellie giggled and gave him some advice,"You'll get more air in if you lean back."

He took her advice, sighing in relief when the burning in his lungs subsided a bit, "Do you do this a lot?"

"It helps me keep my mind clear. Plus, I've got to stay in shape somehow. You're not going to get me to exercise many other ways," she grinned at the exhausted boy. "Think you can make it back?"

He grimaced before nodding, and the two turned around and began jogging back towards their cars. 

After they had finally made it back to their cars, cleaned up, and had a hearty breakfast at Mike's favorite diner, it was time for school to start.

Ellie frowned when she noticed Bella was still watching for the Cullens. They were apparently all the girl could think about. She didn't bother trying to dissuade her from her thoughts though. The brunette was going to pine for the bronze haired vampire no matter what she did. Rolling her eyes, she dragged Bella to class before she missed the bell.

The day seemed to drag by for Ellie. At this rate, she believed she could teach the classes herself. Mike was exhausted when she saw him in second period, and Bella was so consumed by her thoughts of Edward, that they were absolutely no help for Ellie's overactive mind. So when she saw Alice in the gymnasium, she was overly thrilled.

"Thank goodness you're here!" she trilled excitedly, not caring at the moment that she was a vampire.

Alice grinned at the girl, "I told you we'd be great friends. What's made you so excited?"

"You can hold an actual conversation. Those prudes I call best friends are out of it today," she explained to the dark haired vampire. "All Bella can think about is Edward, and I pretty much killed Mike this morning so he's useless..."

Alice giggled regardless of the blonde's reasons, "At least you're talking to me of your own free will. Now if we can just get you to talk to Jasper freely."

"Jasper and I are, hopefully, at an understanding," Ellie stated, receiving a look from Alice to which Ellie rolled her eyes. "We're going to be friends for now."

Alice huffed in annoyance, "So should we be expecting you at lunch?"

"Not today. I'll probably end up having to feed Mike... Or keep him from suffocating in his food. I'd rather do the second," she said, a thought coming to her mind. "I'll sit with you —"

"When Edward gets back," Alice finished.

"Yes," Ellie nodded, hearing vague instructions about the sport they were playing spewing from Coach Clapp's mouth. "When Edward gets back, but do tell Jasper hello for me."

A wide smile grew on Alice's face at the mention of Jasper. She must really have high hopes for them.

Lunch was spent exactly how Ellie had expected it. The blue eyed boy beside of her was nearly sleeping in his lunch while Ellie held his head up in her hand.

"Did you not sleep at all last night, Mike?" Jessica Stanley, a brunette girl, asked the blonde boy who lazily looked at her.

"Ellie's a monster," he replied, letting his head find Ellie's shoulder and causing the slightest of frowns to appear on Ellie's lips.

Jessica looked at her like she was the worst creature in the world, "Ellie? What?"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Oh, quit looking at me like I just ran over your favorite puppy."

"Five a.m. Running. Six miles," Mike muttered, cozying into her side. "Killer."

Everyone at the table looked at her with different expressions.

"Six miles?" Eric Yorkie, a dark haired, spunky boy, asked. "Are you Superman?"

Ellie laughed loudly, "Of course not. I'm obviously female."

A laugh was shared around the table.

"So how are you not as exhausted as Mike?" Angela Weber, a shy girl with a camera around her neck, asked.

"I used to do track at my old school. I definitely didn't have that kind of stamina to begin with," she answered, thinking to the time David, her sister's old boyfriend, signed her up for the track team.

"Where did you move here from anyway?" Jessica asked, curiosity filling her features.

"Well, my most recent move was from California, but before that Canada," she answered.

"Ooh like LA?" Jessica questioned, excitement clear in her eyes.

Ellie smiled at the girl, "About two hours south of Los Angeles, but I definitely visited."

Soft snores interrupted the discussion, causing everyone to look at the boy they were coming from.

"I'm going to guess trying for seven next time isn't a good idea," Ellie giggled, but continued to allow Mike to nap on her shoulder.

Ellie walked into biology and plopped her book onto her desk, wondering how Mike was going to handle gym this period. She felt kind of bad for torturing the poor guy, but she did need a running buddy. It probably wouldn't hurt for him to build his stamina though. Especially if he was going to be friends with her. Speaking of which, she should probably get Bella to start running with them.

"Hello, Ellie, what's got your mind in a knot?" a bell like voice chimed.

"Hello, Alice," she smiled kindly at the vampire. "Just debating on whether or not I should get Bella to start running with me."

She looked up at the blond vampire beside of Alice and offered him a smile, "Hello, Jasper. How are you today?"

The corners of his lips tugged upwards, "I'm well. Thank you for asking. How are you today?"

"I'm well, thanks," she replied, watching him closely. He was truly a beautiful man, tall and well built. He seemed quite reserved for the most part. She'd never really given him much thought. She knew her two vampire friends wanted to change that, however. She should at least get to know him to be fair to the poor guy.

Alice grinned at the small interaction between the two. It wasn't much, but it was more than it had been. She just couldn't wait until Ellie actually decided to let him in.

"I don't think it would be a bad idea to get her to run with you," Alice chirped.

"That's what I was thinking. I'd rather her be exhausted a few times a week and prepared than for her to be helpless in a situation. Especially if she's friends with me. I'm a walking magnet for trouble, and if her infatuation with Edward is any indication, I'd be willing to bet she is, too," Ellie explained to the duo.

"I think it's smart to work with her," Jasper stated, taking his seat.

"I've always insisted upon having a battle plan. You never know when you'll need it. So preparation is key," she grinned, feeling a small blush creep up her neck at his compliment.

"I agree. I don't think I'd start her on six miles though," he chuckled. He liked knowing that he was the cause of the flush on her cheeks, and her smile, he definitely liked her smile.

"She'd never make it. I've seen that girl trip over thin air. Running six miles through the forest would be, like, murder," Ellie commented, the possibilities coming to mind. "I'd better start her on something easy."

"It might be for the best," said Jasper, his golden eyes finding her green.

She didn't shy away from his eye contact, finding herself awestruck by the way the different hues of gold mixed perfectly. It was breathtaking. She wondered how exactly his eyes came to be gold, actually how all of their eyes were gold. The only other vampires she had ever met had red eyes. She supposed it would just have to remain a mystery for another day.


	6. Chapter 5

Two more days had passed, and Edward still hadn't returned. Bella was still in her mind warp about him, and Ellie was just about to lose her cool. So when Jessica Stanley decided that she wanted to verbally attack Ellie about her friendship with Mike, it took everything in the girl to not rip her to shreds in front of the entire school.

Ellie surprised even herself when instead of sitting next to Mike, as she usually did at lunch, she placed her tray beside of Jasper who gave her an amused look. Needless to say, Alice was ecstatic.

"I knew today was going to be fantastic," Alice grinned, looking at the girl sitting diagonal from her who was angrily stabbing her fork into whatever mystery meat the cafeteria was serving.

"So what brings you to our table?" Emmett asked, his amused grin never faltering.

"I think I'm trying to convince myself that even though stabbing Jessica between the eyes with a dull spoon would satisfy my desires, I shouldn't give in to them," Ellie answered, glaring at the brunette from across the room. "Or maybe I'm sitting here because I would definitely commit a murder if I go within a twenty-five feet distance of her."

Emmett's laugh boomed across the cafeteria, causing him to receive a harsh glare from the lovely blonde vampire beside of him, "I definitely like this one. She's fun."

Ellie felt a wave of calm rush over her and smiled to the man on her right, "Thank you, Jasper."

"Anything for the little lady," he grinned, his amber eyes twinkling.

Ellie felt the red creeping up her neck before she turned her head aside, her short, blonde hair doing little to cover the rosy tint. She was starting to have a love/hate relationship with the way his words were effecting her.

"So do you only think of murdering people or is there more to you?" Rosalie glared at her.

"I don't typically let thoughts of murdering someone cross my mind," she began, taking little to no interest in the dish she had previously been stabbing violently with her fork. The half truth had rolled off of her tongue too easily. "It's really only when they push me past my point of no return. Then I generally have to separate myself, or bad things will happen. There is more to me than violence, though. I'm quite intelligent, and I love to shop."

"Not to mention that weird vision thing you have," Emmett quietly pointed out.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "It's literally the most annoying thing in existence. I absolutely hate bumping into people in the hallways. I don't care about what age someone learned to tie their shoes. I care about whether someone is a threat. It's almost as annoying as hearing the thoughts of half the people in the room."

"So it only happens when you touch someone?"

"Wait - you can read minds, too?"

Two voices spoke simultaneously. Emmett and Jasper respectively.

"Anyone want to ditch the rest of the day? I can't stand to be in the place for another minute," Ellie deflected the questions, choosing to stand from the table instead, the Cullens following suit.

She walked out of the cafeteria doors and toward the parking lot, not bothering to sign out. It's not like she had anyone at home to punish her for ditching anyway. If it were her sister doing the ditching, it would be a different story, but it was not something Ellie had to worry about anymore.

She found her Porsche waiting patiently for her return upon entering the lot.

"I want to drive that," the pixieish vampire uttered from behind her causing Ellie to turn quickly toward her.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Ellie asked the girl excitedly.

"Henry's gorgeous," she quirked.

"Henry?" Emmett smirked. "You named your car Henry?"

"It's a good, strong name. Don't knock it," Ellie defended. Glancing around the group, she could have swore she saw a ghost of a smile on Rosalie's lips. "Besides Evie would have killed me if I'd renamed him."

"Oh, I have nothing against the name. I just think it's funny you named your car," he expressed.

"You wanted to ditch. So where are you going?" Jasper asked, standing close to the blonde.

"Honestly, I just wanted to shop," she grinned.

"And we want answers," Rosalie ground out. For someone so beautiful, she sure was vile.

Ellie sighed, "Fine. Follow me."

"Why don't you let Jasper ride with you?" Alice suggested, before dancing off to the red Jeep where Emmett and Rosalie had already moved.

Ellie glanced at the blond before stating, "Come on. We should probably get there before Alice does."

"You might want to let me drive then," he chuckled, getting into her car regardless.

"Oh, please. Watch and learn," she scoffed, clicking her belt into place before peeling out of the parking lot.

Jasper was surprised, to say the least, when they did indeed beat the others to a moderate sized house hidden within the greenery of forest. He was even more surprised the blonde was not afraid to use the accelerator on her Porsche the way she had. It was almost as if she was fearless. He watched her with wonder from the passenger seat. He admired the way her blonde hair fell just above her shoulders and the way her green eyes had lit up with joy the faster she pushed the car. She was reckless, but extremely careful at the same time. She was a contradiction, and he wanted her more than anything.

It was only luck that she had somehow masked her scent. He was sure if he could smell her, he would want to drain her of every drop of her precious life flow, but at the same time, he knew he could never do that to her. He could never do anything to hurt her. She was too special.

"You're staring," Ellie said, already feeling the blush creeping up her cheeks.

"I can't help it," he murmured, never taking his eyes off of her.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm beautiful. I get it," she laughed. "But if you haven't noticed, you're quite gorgeous yourself, and you haven't found me staring quite so intensely at you."

"You're right," he countered, catching her slip up. "I haven't found you doing so, but that doesn't mean you haven't."

Ellie's face flushed a violent shade of red. She could normally keep her cool much better.

"You don't need to feel embarrassed about it," his southern drawl only making the feeling worse. "I'm okay with you staring at me."

Ellie frowned. She wasn't supposed to be letting her guard down around a vampire. Letting any vampires in was surely going to be her downfall. Hadn't he already proved that theory? This was dangerous territory. She was behind enemy lines now because she was slowly letting these vampires become part of her life. Her frown deepened, and she stepped out of her car walking briskly to her front door.

Jasper wasn't entirely sure what had just happened. One moment, he could sense she was feeling drawn to him, and the next it was a complete shut out filled with disappointment and worry. Was she worried that he would hurt her? He would never even consider it. He didn't know what he could do to convince her otherwise though. With a frown now placed on his own lips, he got out of the car and followed the path the girl had taken.

"First off," Ellie started, pacing in front of the small group in her living room, "if I catch any of you here without my permission, I'll end you faster than you began." 

She was still in a thunderous mood from her unexpected rush of emotion earlier. Unfortunately, that was now being taken out on the vampires who were currently in her house.

"Second, no matter how it smells, do not touch the hand soap. You will regret it, and I don't mean I will punish you for using the hand soap. Oh no, I mean, don't touch it unless you want to be in excruciating pain. Third, don't even try to go into the fourth door to the left upstairs, not only will it be painful, you will be replacing whatever you break in the process. Enjoy my home."

"I don't understand you, but nice place," Emmett smirked from beside of Rosalie, who was looking at the décor.

"It's for my protection," Ellie replied, "and thank you. I haven't had any other visitors."

"Did your mother design this?" Rosalie asked, admiring a painting on the wall with pale blue swirls surrounding a watercolor dark-haired fairy with mischievous brown eyes who sat upon a rock in the middle of a dark forest. 

"No, she didn't," Ellie replied, coming to stand beside her as she stared at the painting. "Do you like the painting?"

"It's beautiful," she admitted. "Who's the artist?"

"Allison McCarty," Ellie smiled, the memory of the girl bittersweet.

"I recognize the last name, but not the first," Rosalie said, glancing from the girl beside of her to Emmett who was listening intently.

"You wouldn't," Ellie assured the woman. "She was my best friend. This was the last painting she gave to me before she passed."

"I'm sorry for your loss," she frowned. She may not like the girl all that much, but losing a best friend was something she could relate to.

"Me, too," Ellie said. "But she died an honorable death, one that I still blame myself for. She's honestly one of the only reasons I even try anymore. She'd want me to continue living. It's why she died."

"She sounds brave," Rosalie stated. She didn't like the girl just yet, but maybe she could. She wanted to live, after all, instead of squandering the life Rosalie so craved.

"She was the bravest person I've ever known," Ellie smiled, casting her gaze to the vampire beside her. 

She may want to push these vampires away, but something inside of her was telling her that, just maybe, they could be trusted.

She truly hoped that was the case.


	7. Chapter 6

Ellie shuffled around her house, trying to get her things together for school. She was running behind this morning compared to usual. She wasn't worried though. It just meant she had to drive slightly over the speed limit to get there.

She wasn't completely sure what had happened to make her miss her first alarm. All she knew was she was in a small amount of pain. That thought did worry her. The tiny trickle of nerves she felt tickling her body was exactly what she had felt before she had to move to California where she'd been thrown head first into some supernatural drama. She only hoped she could make it through the day without any problems.

Those hopes were thrown out the window, however, when Ellie finally stepped out onto her porch and found Jasper Hale sitting on her steps.

"Is there a reason you're here, or do you just not care about any warnings I issue?" she asked, crossing her arms and lifting a brow at the blond vampire.

"I wanted to see if you were interested in riding to school with me," he answered calmly.

Ellie thought about it for a moment. She wouldn't mind not having to drive, and if she needed to leave quickly, she could still do so. The cons would be spending time with Jasper which, if she really thought about it, wasn't so much of a con as just plain dangerous for both of them. Ellie could live with a little danger though, couldn't she? It was just a ride to school, not a marriage proposal.

"Sure."

The word flew from her mouth before she talked herself out of it.

"You're really saying yes?" he questioned. He'd fully expected her to say no even with Alice's approval.

"Don't give me a chance to change my mind," she stated, walking passed him to go to his car.

Standing, he sped by her to reach the passenger door first which he opened for her.

Ellie allowed a small smile to tug at the corners of her lips, "Thank you, Jasper."

"My pleasure, ma'am," he winked, causing a light blush to color her cheeks.

She didn't know what was wrong with her. She shouldn't be blushing so much because of a vampire, but it was like he reminded her of hot, summer nights in Texas when she'd pop in to her favorite line dancing locale.

"So what made you want to deal with me this fine morning?" she asked, taking small glimpses at his profile as he drove the car.

"I can't offer a lovely lady a ride because I want to?" he quirked, his lips tilting to one side.

"Of course you can," she laughed, "I assume Alice told you I would say yes?"

"She did," he smiled, allowing his eyes to drift to her for a moment.

"Would you have still tried even if she'd told you I'd say no?"

The question left her mouth before she had a chance to think about it. Would it have mattered if he hadn't tried? She didn't want to think of it. 

"I like to think I would have," he answered, not deterred by the question.

"Good," she said, digging her teeth into her bottom lip. "Because I'm really glad you tried."

And there it was. 

Ellie wasn't certain she'd ever seen a smile quite so big ever light up a face like the smile currently resting on Jasper Hale's lips. It warmed her insides in ways that terrified her.

If Ellie thought the staring and whispers were bad on her first day of school, they didn't hold a candle to the staring and whispers coming from the student body as she exited Jasper's vehicle.

"Do you ever get used to it?" she asked the pale blond at her side.

"You learn to ignore it," he replied, taking in her closed off features and getting a good read of her feelings. "Are you okay?"

She glanced at the vampire before nodding, "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"I'm just getting the feeling you're in a bit of pain," he replied, watching the girl with a concerned look in eye.

"It's nothing. I'll be okay," she said. It was nothing. Nothing she hadn't already been through at least once. "Just don't panic if I disappear at some point in time today."

"I'll try, but I make no promises," he said. Of course he's going to worry. He cares about her.

"I see you've stuck around," a melodic baritone quipped.

"I see you're back from the land of the dead. Wait - never mind," Ellie replied, smirking at the bronze haired boy.

"Really? You're going to go there?" he raised a brow.

"You gave me the opportunity," she grinned. He made it almost too easy. 

"You seem...different," Edward commented. "Almost lighter."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" she mock glared, forcing her mind clear.

Edward rolled his eyes, "You know perfectly well what I'm saying, Eleanor."

Ellie stuck her tongue out childishly at him, "I'm only joking, Ed-boring. I am capable of having fun unlike someone I know."

He glared at her, before questioning, "How is she?"

"Perfect as a peach and practically obsessed with you," Ellie answered, shrugging her shoulders. "Speaking of Bella, I have to go be human and deal with the repercussions of my anger issues."

She turned to the blond beside of her and smiled, "Thank you for driving me to school, Jasper. I'll see you at lunch."

"Don't tell me that that weirdo Hale is stealing my best friend," Mike teased the blonde who had appeared beside of his locker.

"In his dreams," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "I am sitting with them at lunch today however."

"But you sat with them yesterday," he pouted, disappointment etched across his features. "It's the only time outside of class that I actually get to see you."

"I know, but I promised Alice," she sighed, leaning against a locker. "How about I make it up to you?"

Mike narrowed his eyes at her, "If this is another attempt to get me to run with you, I'll pass."

Ellie let loose a small laugh, "I mean, was it really that bad?"

"Torturous," he quickly answered, causing her grin to further grow.

"Lucky for you that isn't what I'm offering," she said, cocking her head to the side. "I'm offering one night of your choosing, video games, movies, and food at my place."

"Ellie," Mike started, trying hard to hide the excitement on his face. "I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but you sure know the way to a man's heart."

Ellie laughed loudly as he threw an arm around her shoulder.

Looping an arm around his waist, she replied, "Come on, Mike, let's get to class."

As the day wore through, Ellie noticed the tingling of nerves she had upon waking had increased upon every passing hour. By the time gym had rolled around, Ellie was flinching occasionally due to the shocks washing through her body, and unfortunately, she wasn't the only one to notice.

"Are you alright?" Alice questioned, Edward right by her side.

"I'm fine," Ellie winced. "It's nothing I haven't dealt with before."

"It's only going to get worse," Edward commented, listening to her ongoing thoughts about what was to come.

"If it's what I think it is," she sighed. "I'm, honestly, just hoping I make it through the school day without it interfering. If not, I'll have to go."

"You'll be fine throughout school," Alice said, watching the girl with a knowing look.

"Are you sure?" she questioned, feeling another wave of pain wash over her.

"Positive," she replied.

Ellie frowned. This wasn't supposed to happen again. She'd already served her time. The link was cut. If this was happening, she would likely have to leave again. She didn't want it.

Feeling another small wave jolt through her, she wondered if the Cullens would mind her staying close to them today. She didn't really want to leave herself vulnerable to vampires, but she didn't want to have to be alone when it happened.

"You can stay with us," Edward said. "I don't know exactly what it is that's happening, but after the favor you've done me, we won't let you be alone."

"Thank you," she whispered, knowing he could still hear her.

Alice and Edward didn't leave Ellie's side after class, allowing her to walk between them to the cafeteria. They all quickly grabbed a tray before taking a seat. Edward attempted to help Ellie into her seat before she made him stop.

"I have to do it myself, or people will start questioning things," she whispered, sliding into the seat beside of Jasper.

Jasper watched the girl beside of him. His eyes filled with concern as she forced herself to act normal when it was plain to see she wasn't okay. "Ellie..."

"I'm fine, Jazz," she muttered, gripping onto the table as another stronger wave rushed over her.

Jasper would have smiled at the nickname had he not been been worried for her, "I can tell that you're not, Ellie. You don't have to pretend."

"I'm fine for now," she insisted. "I'm more worried about later."

"What's happening?" he asked, the others watching the two curiously.

"My body is shifting allegiances," she gritted her teeth. "I was certain it wasn't going to happen again when I lost the link with my last pack, but here we are."

"Pack?" Rosalie questioned, eyes narrowed. "You're in alliance with wolves?"

"I was. Is there a pack around here, too?" she replied.

"There's no way you're only human," Rosalie continued.

"I am human. I'm just gifted. Sometimes, when there's a particularly gifted being, they become an emissary, an advisor or counselor of sorts for a group of supernatural beings, often werewolves," Ellie explained. "My last link was severed when they discovered my past and found someone more suited to their needs. It left me free to grieve and go. At least, I thought that was the reason until now. Apparently, I was just better suited elsewhere."

"We should get you out of here," Jasper said, moving to stand.

"No," Ellie stated, pulling him back down. "I'm finishing this day. I can't just leave when I have a problem. Not anymore. Besides, Alice says I'll make it through the school day."

"But-" Jasper started.

"No, buts. I'm staying," Ellie wouldn't budge. She would be fine, at least until later.

"Fine, but at the first sign of it getting worse, I'm taking you home," he grit out. She was too stubborn. It wouldn't end well for her if she continued on this path.

"No, it's going to get worse. There's no stopping it," Ellie said firmly. "If I start screaming, get me out under the pretenses of going to the hospital. Then get me somewhere safe."

"You're going to be fine, Ellie. We're not going to leave you," Alice smiled, reaching a hand across the table. "She'll be fine, Jasper."

By the time Ellie reached biology, she was near ready to collapse from the pain. She made her way to her seat as quickly as she could before slumping over and laying her head on her desk, the cool feel of it easing some of the tension in her body. A sigh escaped her lips at the contact, and she felt a large, cool hand wrap around her own warm hand.

"You're too stubborn, you know that?" his velvety bass said.

"And you're persistent," she muttered, enjoying the feel of his cold hand in hers.

"But you admire it," he smiled, her enjoyment seeping into his pores.

"I do," she sighed. This vampire shouldn't be breaking her walls, but somehow he was. She would deal with it later.

"How are you?" He asked, his concern evident.

"I feel like I've been ran over by a truck," she answered honestly.

"I was surprised you didn't pull your hand away," he admitted.

"I would have, but it hurts too much, and honestly, it's helping a little. I think it's the temperature difference. My skin feels like it's starting to boil," she confessed. Although she really wasn't minding holding his hand for other personal reasons as well.

"Is the pain concentrated anywhere?" he asked.

"The worst is in my left shoulder blade," she said. "That's where the mark will be."

"It marks you? That's not weird at all," he frowned.

"Says you," she scoffed. She knew how strange her body's mannerisms were. It had been hers for seventeen years.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, wishing he could ease her pain. He could feel the waves of pain as they hit her through her hand.

She lifted her head to look in eyes and whispered, "Just don't leave me."

"I'd never," he promised.

His words resonated deep within her, and she knew, for that moment at least, they were true.


End file.
